National Air Transportation Association reported that the Federal Aviation Administration is phasing out paper certificates and published its final rule replacing all airmen certificates and altering aircraft registration requirements. Without the new plastic documents pilots will not be able to access the U.S. airspace. The rule also requires that all aircraft transactions must be reported within 21 days of title transfer. The rule applies to pilots, who must have new certificates by March 31, 2010 as well as ground instructors, flight crewmembers other than pilots, and airmen other than flight crewmembers who must comply by March 31, 2013, according to NATA. The rule does not apply to student pilot or flight instructor certificates which already expire within two years.
NATA objected to the rulemaking since FAA has yet to complete a congressional mandate to incorporate photos in certificates. That means a second round of replacing certificates and confusion surrounding the validity of certificates, said the organization. The agency is already increasing aircraft registration fees from $5 to $130. Related Story